1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adaptor interposed between devices, and to a wireless communication module.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with advances in computer technologies, a performance of an external device (such as printer, an input device, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or the like) has been enhanced. The computer and the external device are connected together through a communication cable conforming to a corresponding data communication standard. Many data communication standards have been hitherto proposed. In particular, a USB (Universal Serial Bus)-compliant connection system of the external device has been widely employed.
Incidentally, the communication cable is not always necessary for a user although being necessary for connecting devices. This is because the communication cable would be an obstacle to improvements in portability and simplicity of a device.
A connector shape, layout of terminals, and terminal functions are prescribed by the data communication standards. Some of the data communication standards do not stipulate that a connector should be furnished with a power supply input terminal. If no power is supplied from a main apparatus to a wireless communication module, a power supply or a power cable should be additionally provided to the wireless communication module. In such cases, usability of the wireless communication module is lowered.
For example, Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No. 2003-2702 discloses a relay connector for connecting between an external device and a main apparatus based on serial ATA standards. In the relay connector conforming to the serial ATA standards, a signal section and a power supply section are physically separated. The signal section and the power supply section are fixed to each other by means of a bonding member but are not physically configured as one terminal. The power supply section only outputs power supplied from the external device based on the serial ATA standards. Hence, a power supply should be additionally provided to the external device as before. In short, power cannot be supplied from a main body to the external device through the power supply section of the relay connector.
As described above, in the wireless communication module of the related art, if the data communication standard and the like disallow power supply from the main apparatus, a power supply unit should be additionally provided to the wireless communication module, and usability of the wireless communication module is lowered.
Incidentally, a connector shape or the like varies depending on data communication standards. However, in general, a predetermined development period is necessary to change the connector shape or the like. Thus, the connector specifications could not be changed as soon as the data communication standard is changed.